The Kansas City Chiefs, a franchise that has seemingly had a perpetual lease on Super Bowl contention, find themselves in uncharted and unsettling waters. Just weeks ago, the championship window appeared wide open, but a surprising 1-3 start to the season has introduced an underlying tension few anticipated. Internal discussions about potential personnel moves and strategic adjustments are now rampant, reflecting an organization unwilling to accept even temporary mediocrity. The path forward will not only determine their standing in the AFC West but will also establish how this team responds when excellence feels less like an expectation and more like a distant memory. The stakes are undeniably high, and with the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Chiefs are reportedly eyeing aggressive roster maneuvers to inject much-needed life into their faltering offense.

Hardman’s Fading Prospects: A Homecoming Unlikely

One of the more sentimental, yet ultimately pragmatic, discussions revolves around wide receiver Mecole Hardman. Following the Green Bay Packers’ decision to part ways with him and pivot towards rookie Jayden Reed, a fundamental question about Hardman’s future in professional football has emerged. The Packers’ prioritization of youth and developmental potential over veteran contributions signals a diminished market value for Hardman’s skill set. While the romantic notion of a Chiefs homecoming naturally appeals to their loyal fanbase, general manager Brett Veach’s track record, despite multiple veteran reunions, suggests active roster reinstatement for Hardman is improbable given the current circumstances.

The personnel dynamics in Kansas City have significantly evolved. Younger alternatives are commanding attention, and the team has managed receiver shortages through the first three contests while anticipating reinforcements and monitoring injury updates. With Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice trending towards complete health, and Rice’s Week 7 suspension concluding, meaningful receiver depth is on the horizon. Furthermore, the development of Skyy Moore and organizational interest in Jason Brownley further restrict veteran opportunities. Hardman, a second-round pick in 2019, has rejoined the franchise twice before, a 2023 trade deadline reacquisition and another signing in June 2024. While his Kansas City tenure totals 2,486 scrimmage yards and 19 touchdowns, if he were to provide any value presently, it would most likely be in a practice squad veteran insurance role – a scenario he might embrace for career extension. However, active roster expectations, despite fan sentiment, warrant significant restraint.

The Rushing Game Conundrum: A Call for Ground Stability

Beyond the receiver room, offensive struggles have primarily centered on a glaring inconsistency in the ground game. This has prompted widespread speculation about targeting established veterans who could entirely transform the Chiefs’ rushing attack. Kansas City’s potential pursuit of proven backfield stability raises critical questions about addressing their rushing deficiencies through aggressive roster moves. Currently, the Chiefs’ ground game averages a mere 108 yards per contest, ranking a lackluster 17th leaguewide. More peculiar, perhaps, is that quarterback Patrick Mahomes has, at times, led the team in rushing statistics, highlighting the lack of a clear primary runner. Isaiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon, and rookie Deneric Prince remain without definitive role establishment through the opening contests. Establishing a definitive lead rusher may, therefore, necessitate activity before the November 4th trade deadline.

NFL.com’s Maurice Jones-Drew recently identified five deadline-worthy running backs, notably positioning New Orleans Saints veteran Alvin Kamara second and suggesting strong compatibility with Kansas City. Jones-Drew referenced the Saints’ winless start and probable organizational restructuring as factors potentially lowering Kamara’s trade valuation. While the Chiefs would undoubtedly benefit from a refined pass-catching complement to Mahomes – a role Kamara excels at – his trade value might not be as prohibitively high as it once was. Moving an experienced playmaker like Kamara would allow New Orleans to pick up valuable draft capital and free up cap space, making a potential deal attractive for both sides. “Kamara could be the answer to many of the Chiefs’ offensive problems,” Jones-Drew analyzed. The 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year enters his ninth professional season as one of modern football’s most accomplished receiving backs. Since 2017, Kamara leads all running backs in receptions (582) and receiving yards (4,890), while ranking third in touchdown receptions (25) among RBs during that timeframe. These credentials alone suggest he could provide Mahomes with another incredibly reliable passing outlet. Through three games this season, Kamara has accumulated 186 rushing yards and one touchdown, alongside nine catches for 47 yards. At 30 years old, he still maintains proven dual-threat capabilities as both a rusher and a passing game weapon. With New Orleans facing Buffalo in Week 4, a potential 0-4 start could accelerate extensive roster restructuring timelines, potentially including veteran trades like Kamara.

Another compelling running back option has been identified by ESPN analysts: Travis Etienne Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The question looms large: could acquiring a dynamic rusher like Etienne provide the offensive balance necessary to reduce Patrick Mahomes’ “overwhelming workload burden?” With offensive underperformance forcing Mahomes to shoulder excessive responsibility, Kansas City may indeed explore external roster solutions, including trade options for proven rushing assistance capable of transforming offensive dynamics. While trade execution would demand significant resources, the club’s history of deadline aggressiveness, paired with obvious consistent rushing needs, renders such a move entirely conceivable. While awaiting the return of two primary receivers to enhance passing effectiveness, trade deadline exploration could simultaneously address rushing deficiencies and reduce quarterback pressure.

As the NFL trade deadline approaches, substantial targets may become available, including former first-round selections. ESPN’s Dan Graziano analyzed players most likely to be available, suggesting Jacksonville might consider parting with Travis Etienne Jr. Despite maintaining depth chart leadership following Tank Bigsby’s trade, Graziano composed that Jacksonville’s willingness to move him stems from future planning. The Jaguars drafted D’Ernest Johnson in the fourth round and then took passing-down back Tank Bigsby in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Graziano observed, “Those two probably form the future of the team’s backfield. Jacksonville already traded Tank Bigsby to the Eagles. If the Jaguars fall out of contention and want to get a longer look at their rookies, Etienne and his $6.143 million salary would probably be pretty easy to move”. Playing on his fifth-year option without an extension beyond 2025, Etienne represents a potential deadline acquisition. The running back commands premium compensation, ranking among leading rushers through three weeks with 270 yards and one touchdown. Although he experienced a production decline last season, the 2021 first-round selection accumulated 2,961 career rushing yards with 19 career touchdowns. Ground game improvement remains Kansas City’s most critical need, with Mahomes leading the team with 125 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while primary backs Isaiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire both average below four yards per carry. Graziano noted that Kansas City “won’t be throwing in the towel at any point” despite their 1-3 beginning, likely utilizing trade deadline opportunities for playoff push reinforcements. “The Chiefs haven’t looked good but they still have Andy Reid as their coach and Patrick Mahomes as their quarterback and they tend to be active at the trade deadline so we can feel pretty confident they’ll be looking to add whether it’s at running back at wide receiver or somewhere on the defense”.

The Quest for a Field-Stretching Receiver: Restoring Explosive Capability

Reinforcements in the receiving corps are also fast approaching, with second-year receiver Xavier Worthy nearing his return from a shoulder injury sustained in the season-opening loss to the Chargers. Primary receiver Rashee Rice still maintains three remaining suspension games before his Week 7 team rejoining. However, even with these returns, receiver depth issues have sparked discussions about pursuing a proven downfield threat through the trade market. The question is poignant: might pairing Patrick Mahomes with an established field-stretching receiver finally restore this passing attack’s explosive capability ? Acquiring such a receiver would constitute a significant move, yet the franchise’s identity and championship timeline could absolutely justify the associated costs.

Currently positioned at the bottom of the AFC West with a 1-3 record, Kansas City bears little resemblance to the offensive powerhouse traditionally expected. Through three games, the Chiefs have managed a meager six offensive touchdowns, hardly the standard Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have established together. Leading league insiders believe Kansas City may actively address its current playmaker shortage. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler identified the Chiefs as a franchise that needs to be “the most active on the trade block,” while colleague Dan Graziano suggested an intriguing option: Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints.

Graziano’s analysis on September 24th posited, “The Saints don’t look as if they’re going anywhere this season and they have Rashid Shaheed on an expiring contract and Chris Olave with one year, his fifth year option left on his deal”. He added, “Would their new coaching staff make either or both of those players available? I don’t think we can rule out teams such as Buffalo, Kansas City, Green Bay and or San Francisco if the right impact receiver becomes available”. Mahomes has often been forced to target underneath coverage without genuine field-tilting receivers since Tyreek Hill’s departure. Adding Olave would unequivocally transform that dynamic. He would stabilize passing effectiveness and stretch defenses vertically far beyond the current receiving core’s capabilities.

The 25-year-old Olave has provided New Orleans consistent production since his 11th overall selection in 2022. He surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in both initial seasons (1,042 as a rookie and 1,123 in year 2), consistently handling primary receiver responsibilities. Even during an injury-shortened 2024, when a concussion sidelined him for nine games, he maintained the precise route running and deep threat ability that warranted first-round investment. Olave has sustained approximately 2.2 yards per route run since his league entry, an elite measurement, while his target share exceeded 25% during his field time as a rookie. He led first-year receivers in yards per route run and, when healthy in 2024, exceeded 80 yards in four of six complete games. He succeeds through the suddenness and separation creation capabilities that Kansas City currently desperately requires.

New Orleans exercised his fifth-year option this spring, maintaining control through 2026 at cost-controlled rates. His cap impact exceeds $6 million this season. However, would New Orleans genuinely consider his departure? At 0-3 and potentially facing another reset under new head coach Kellen Moore, New Orleans might prioritize draft capital accumulation over committing significant money to star receivers, especially presently without clear long-term quarterback solutions. Trading Olave for premium draft compensation wouldn’t be unprecedented, and for Kansas City, the investigation would be entirely worthwhile, as a Mahomes-Olave pairing offers unlimited, explosive potential.

The Chiefs’ current struggles are undeniable, and the pressure is mounting. With the trade deadline looming, the franchise faces critical decisions that could either salvage their season and keep the championship window truly open, or plunge them into a frustratingly inconsistent year. The whispers of blockbuster trades are growing louder, signifying a proactive, and potentially desperate, effort to return to their accustomed dominance.